The Purest of the Breed (The Community Series #2) by Tracy Tappan

The Purest of the Breed by Tracy Tappan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Plagued by enemies from above and below ground, a group of Vârcolac warriors fight a desperate battle to keep their secret town safe from invasion

A different place to find her dreams…

The night Marissa Bonaventure is saved from vicious kidnappers by special operative, Dev Nichita, her life is changed in ways she never could have imagined. Brought to the safety of an underground “research institute,” she’s offered a hefty sum of money to stay on and work for a year, money that will allow her to fulfill her lifelong dream of owning a restaurant. But the surreal events that unfold in the strange community of Ţărână soon make her wonder if all is what it seems. When the shocking truth about Dev is exposed, Marissa faces an impossible decision. She loves Dev deeply, but committing to a Vârcolac is a forever proposition, and the only way she can be with Dev will require her to throw away her one chance to redeem a miserable past.

The man he wants to be…

The night Dev Nichita rescues Marissa from the claws of the Om Rău demon race, he knows she’s meant to be his mate. Lying to her about his true nature feels wrong, but he needs time to make her fall in love with him before he reveals that he’s a different breed of human being. When that secret finally comes out, their relationship is shattered in ways Dev hadn’t predicted. A 100-year-old betrayal rises up to threaten their future together—devastating every member of his family—and Dev’s own angry withdrawal becomes a nearly insurmountable obstacle. Then the Topside Om Rău enemy threatens a catastrophic breach of the hidden community, and Dev must call upon all his power as he races against the clock to save the most important people in his life.

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Sensitive readers should be warned about a graphic rape scene in the first few chapters.

Now on to the positive...

Dev and Marissa fit together like two pieces of a puzzle! They both went through some shattering experiences and I honestly don't know what they would have done without each other to lean on. They had a strong connection to begin with and I loved seeing how it developed over time. Dev desperately wanted Marissa as his mate but she had her own plans for her life and she wasn't ready to give them up... even for him. Yes, it caused some angst between them but it was nothing they couldn't solve.

It's no secret that I adore Toni and Kimberly and it was wonderful to see them both in their element. Thank God for strong females!

The flashbacks to the 1800's added so much to the story as well. We get the heart-breaking backstory behind the marriage of Dev's parents and the Vârcolac being forced to flee their home country. I could see that there was more to Pettrila than the toxic shrew and sure enough, I couldn't blame her for being the way she was.

As far as the development of the overall story... we learn something about a certain detective and Raymond's daughter Pandra is becoming an intriguing character. I'd love to see more of her in the next book.


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